How to Take a GOOD visible pic of your HPT

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Usually around the time of your missed period, you can take a HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) and get a reliable result. Some also opt to test early! Around 6-12dpo (Days Past Ovulation) implantation can occur, and a few days after that the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) can metabolize enough in your Urine stream to then be detected on a HPT. If you’re actively TTC (Trying To Conceive) it can be a pretty exciting time, and you may want to get others opinions on whether or not they see a second Line, once you’ve tested. Many of us are a part of support groups and it’s fun to post pictures. The problem lies when the picture isn’t the best quality, and sometimes it can make it a bit difficult to interpret the results if you’re an outsider looking in. So I decided to make a little tutorial on how to take GOOD pics of your lovely pee sticks!

It’s always good for starters, to take a pic in good lighting! Most of us nowadays have good cell phones with camera’s – that even have a flash!

But – is it always best to use the flash? Simple answer, NO. If you’re using a midstream test that has a splash guard on it, (the clear plastic piece over the results window) the flash will more often than not reflect back and you won’t be able to see the results. Your best option is to turn the flash off. Sometimes though, that can cause another problem. Blurry pics! Here’s a pic that was taken with the flash on. Although it’s not Blurry, you still cannot see the results.

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Here’s a few examples of Blurry pics that will be very hard to interpret unless you have an unmistakable, very vivid, dark Test Line! Please try to refrain from posting these.

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There’s a very simple remedy for that issue! Maybe on your groups forums or posts you’ve noticed objects on or around their Tests and You’ve wondered why? Well – objects make the camera focus! Especially when you turn the flash off. It’s best to put a test in great lighting and an object next to it or even on it. Most with smart phones can even tap the screen to also help focus things. Here’s a few taken the right way! PLEASE (if you opt to post anything) only post pics that are good and visible otherwise it’ll defeat the purpose if you’re trying to get a second opinion.

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Now, I’m going to proceed to show you some other, “Picture Don’ts.” Here we have the ever so popular angled Tests. Unfortunately even in the best of lighting, it’s still very hard to see a second Line this way. Your best bet is to take the pic directly above the Tests!

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Love tweaking? What exactly is tweaking? Well, most of use different apps or graphics programs on our phones nowadays or even on our computers that can put different filters, enhance contrast, saturation, etc. On any pic of a HPT. The idea is to either pull some color on a line that is considered questionable, or to make a line a little more visible. Tweaking is great! The problem lies with over tweaking. And you can do that by using several different methods to try and enhance a test pic. Most don’t even realize though that when you over-tweak, you’re making it even harder to interpret. It can cause way too much pixilization with way too many colors, so if there was a chance to spot a line – there definitely won’t be afterwards. PLEASE, it’s better just to post the original and let the others do the tweaking!

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And of course the invert! If you are going to tweak, I would highly recommend to refrain from doing that. Inverts will make most ANY Line visible including (Indent Lines) and of course the dreadful (Evaporation Lines).

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If you look close enough at the inverted pic up above, you’ll see a Line. Looks promising, doesn’t it? Not so much. That’s an indent. So Yeah.

Even if you can’t test during the day when you’ll have the best lighting available – you can still make your pictures visible. Making sure the camera will focus correctly, and aiming directly right above the test is key!

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SUMMARY OF OUR WONDERFUL TUTORIAL HERE:

– Make sure you have good lighting! (Window seals are perfect for this type of thing)
– Make sure you turn your flash off
– Make sure you have an object on or near the test (to help the camera focus)
– Make sure you Take a pic directly up above the test, and as close to the results window as possible!

IN THE END (Regardless if it’s positive or Negative results) YOU WANT YOUR TEST PICS TO LOOK LIKE THIS!

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Nice, clean, bright and clearly visible! I hope this has helped you and we send Baby Dust to everyone in their TTC journey!

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The BEST Deals on Ovulation Tests and Pregnancy Tests

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If you’re actively TTC (Trying To Conceive) and especially for those of you who are (Charting) your fertility, (Basal Body Temperature, Cervical Mucus, Cervical Position and of course by also using Ovulation Predictor Kits in conjunction with those other primary fertility indicators) – You’re more than likely also wanting to test on or around the time of your expected period! And granted, if you’re an early tester it can get costly. HPT’s (Home Pregnancy Tests) come in all different forms such as Test Strips, Cassette Tests, Midstreams and even Digitals. Most of us are on a budget and I’ve made it my mission to find some of the absolute BEST DEALS that can make it way more affordable to Pee-On-That-Stick!

* PRODUCTS CAN BE PURCHASED OFF OF EBAY & AMAZON *

10miu HCG Test Strips:

Quantity: 30 Test Strips $6.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 20 Test Strips (with Free Collection Cups) $6.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 10 Test Strips $1.75 + Free Shipping

15miu HCG Test Strips:

Quantity: 50 Test Strips $6.99 + Free Shipping

25miu HCG Test Strips:

Quantity: 100 Test Strips $10.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 20 Test Strips $1.82 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 10 Test Strips $1.09 + $0.49 Shipping

Quantity: 10 Test Strips $0.99 + $0.59 Shipping

Quantity: 12 Test Strips $2.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 20 Test Strips $2.29 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 10/20/30 Test Strips $3.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 25 Test Strips $3.49 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 50 Test Strips $6.99 + Free Shipping

Midstream HCG Tests:

Quantity: 20 Midstream Tests (25miu) $11.80 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 5/10 Midstream Tests (25miu) $2.49 + Free Shipping

Cassette HCG Tests:

Quantity: 20 Cassette Tests (10miu) $7.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 50 Cassette Tests (25miu) $13.33 + $2.39 Shipping

Ovulation Test Strips:

Quantity: 100 MicroMall Test Strips (20miu) $15.90 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 40 Test Strips (25miu) $7.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 50 ClinicalGuard Test Strips (25miu) $9.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 10 Test Strips (25miu) $0.99 + $0.39 Shipping

Quantity: 10 LH Test Strips (15miu) $2.00 + Free Shipping

Combo Deals:

Quantity: 100 Blue Cross One Step LH / 20 HCG Test Strips (25miu) $20.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 50 LH / 20 HCG GetMore Test Strips (25miu) $8.99 + Free Shipping

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Quantity: 50 LH / 20 HCG Strips $9.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 30 LH / 10 HCG Strips $5.99 + Free Shipping

Name Brand Pregnancy Tests:

Quantity: 3 First Response Early Results Midstream Tests (25miu but can detect 6.5miu) $12.95 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 8 Clearblue Digital Midstream Tests $21.50 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 9 E.P.T Midstream Tests (40miu) $25.00 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 6 E.P.T Midstream Tests (40miu) $7.50 + $2.50 Shipping

Quantity: 3 E.P.T Digital Tests (40miu) $7.49 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 6 Clearblue Plus Midstream Tests (25miu) $24.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 2 CVS Brand Digital Midstream Tests $9.99 + Free Shipping

Quantity: 3 CVS Brand Early Result Midstream Tests $4.99 + $1.93 Shipping

Quantity: 2 Answer Midstream Tests $7.77 + Free Shipping

DISCLAIMER: These may be limited time offers only! Prices and Shipping Fees are subject to change.

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(Digital) Home Pregnancy Tests

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I’m sure by now if you’ve started your TTC (Trying To Conceive) journey, you’ve started charting your BBT (Basal Body Temperature), CM (Cervical Mucus), and possibly even your CP (Cervical Position). Some even opt to Take OPK’s (Ovulation Predictor Kits) in conjunction, to verify whether or not you’re in your Fertile Window! Once Ovulation has taken place, you can usually get a reliable result on a HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) when you’ve missed a period. Most of us are familiar with the Pink and Blue Dye Tests, but sometimes it’s great to confirm those with a (Yes or No!) – I decided to put together a Gallery of actual, “Digital,” results that you can look at that display both Positive and Negative Tests, manufactured by different brands!

Do you have a Test you would like to submit? Email, Tweet, Post or DM them to us!

*PLEASE INCLUDE whether it’s a Positive, Negative, or Evap Line!

*ALSO – If you have submitted a Test and you notice it’s in the wrong category, PLEASE let us know so we can put it in the right category as soon as possible! Thanks

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Positive (Pink Dye) Home Pregnancy Tests

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I’m sure by now if you’ve started your TTC (Trying To Conceive) journey, you’ve started charting your BBT (Basal Body Temperature), CM (Cervical Mucus), and possibly even your CP (Cervical Position). Some even opt to Take OPK’s (Ovulation Predictor Kits) in conjunction, to verify whether or not you’re in your Fertile Window! Once Ovulation has taken place, you can usually get a reliable result on a HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) when you’ve missed a period. But what does a true positive result look like? I decided to put together a Gallery of actual, “Positive,” results that you can look at that display both Pink Dye and Blue Dye Tests, manufactured by different brands!

Do you have a Test you would like to submit? Email, Tweet, Post or DM them to us!

*PLEASE INCLUDE whether it’s a Positive, Negative, or Evap Line!

*ALSO – If you have submitted a Test and you notice it’s in the wrong category, PLEASE let us know so we can put it in the right category as soon as possible! Thanks

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What Do I Record as Cycle Day 1? (The Difference Between SPOTTING and Your PERIOD)


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Image: www.healthtap.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 

When you’re new to (Charting) it can be a bit confusing sometimes to know exactly WHEN or WHAT to Record on your Fertility Chart as CD (Cycle Day) 1. We used to assume that anytime you had any kind of bleeding, “Well that MUST be the start of our Period!” Yeah, ummmm, no matter how Light, Heavy or even when it happened!

I’m sure you’ve heard this from a friend or family member, “You must just be starting Early,” OR,  “It must be a LATE Period.” Better yet, no matter how Light it was, maybe they also told you – (or maybe you just assumed as so many of us do) that it was just an EXTREMELY LIGHT Period! Well, as time goes on more and more research is done to help expand our minds and give us some clarity!

There are two phases to our Cycle – The Follicular Phase (The time from the first day of our Menstrual Period until Ovulation takes place) and that’s controlled by a Hormone called, “Estrogen.” The next Phase of our cycle is known as The Luteal Phase (The time from Ovulation until either our Period starts or we achieve Pregnancy) and that’s controlled by a Hormone called, “Progesterone,” which is a heat inducing Hormone.

If you happen to take your BBT’s (Basal Body Temperatures) throughout your cycle, Estrogen keeps your temps low during the first Phase prior to Ovulation and Progesterone elevates and sustains our higher temps post Ovulation. Most of the time, (either one or two things will happen) – we will notice that our BBT’s have remained High past 13-16 DPO (Days Past Ovulation) and have possibly achieved Pregnancy! Or, our temps will drop back down which is a good indication that we can expect our Period sometime soon.

Sometimes though we can experience what is known as, “Mid-Cycle Spotting,” on or around Ovulation. That is not uncommon! Usually (if you’re also keeping track of your Cervical Fluid or Cervical Mucus) you may notice a bit of Fluid that resembles raw Egg Whites. If you happen to see a bit of Pink, Red, or even Brown tinged EWCM (Egg White Cervical Mucus) that is considered to be amongst the most fertile, and is caused Sometimes by a bit of spotting due to the Mature Egg breaking through the Egg Follicle.

At other times, (although it is considered RARE) you may notice a bit of spotting between 7-10 DPO and if you’ve achieved Pregnancy than that can also be known as, “Implantation Spotting,” which OFTEN gets mistaken for a Period! (Now, not ALL spotting is associated with Ovulation and Pregnancy) BUT – it can be considered as a clue, and can therefore give you a bit of insight. To actually peak into your Fertile Window – you may wanna consider taking a OPK (Ovulation Predictor Kit), also to confirm Early Pregnancy I would highly suggest taking a High Sensitivity HPT (Home Pregnancy Test!)

So, how do you differentiate between Spotting and actual Flo? Well, (as some licensed Doctors have put it) if you wipe and only see a bit of Pink, or a few drops of Blood – then that would be considered, “Spotting.”

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Images: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


Any amount of RED Blood that requires a pad or a tampon would be considered, “Menses or actual Flo.”

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Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak


So essentially, if you need a pad or a tampon than you can officially record that as, “Cycle Day 1.”

Cycle Day 1 (again) is defined as your first day of actual Bright RED or Dark RED Flo that requires a Pad or a Tampon!

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Image: www.egeve.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

If you’re actively TTC (Trying To Conceive) and you have a higher Temperature above your coverline – (and you notice a bit of spotting) Don’t lose hope just yet! There may be a possibility that it’s simply Implantation Spotting.

If you’re new to Charting, (or tracking your Period) even if you’re NOT actively TTC – Charting is still a great way to pinpoint your Period each cycle and can also indicate whether or not you should possibly Test for Pregnancy.

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How To TEST with a OPK Test Strip

How To Test with a OPK

Image: www.eBay.co.uk Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 

So you’ve decided to start using OPK’s to help you determine when your BEST chance at Conception is? That’s great! You’re now on your way to maximizing your chances of successfully getting Pregnant. If you haven’t started charting, I highly recommend it!

Although testing with OPK’s (Ovulation Predictor Kits) is a great way to gain some much-needed insight into your Fertility Window – It only Does just that! You’ll need to follow-up with 3 days of sustained higher BBT’s (Basal Body Temperatures) to confirm that Ovulation has in fact taken place. Usually a great indicator (or second fertility sign) of WHEN to start testing with a OPK, is when you start to notice Fertile Cervical Fluid. Usually after Menstruation you’ll notice a bit of Scant, dry, or Sticky CM (Cervical Mucus) if any at all – followed by Creamy or Lotion-Like, and then as Estrogen starts to influence your hormones your CM will begin to thin out! You may start to notice a bit of a watery sensation and that usually will lead to the most fertile type of CM which is categorized as EWCM (Egg White Cervical Mucus) which the name sort of speaks for itself. If you’re not familiar with it, crack open a raw Egg and feel the consistency of the Egg whites! It should be slippery, clear and stretch 1-2 inches between your thumb and your index finger. Sometimes it can also be tinged with Pink, red Blood, or even brown! (That is considered to be amongst the most fertile) so if you happen to notice that type of CM along with a Cervical Position that’s High, Soft and Open – Now’s definitely the time to Test with a OPK! Here’s a Chart that can give you a Good idea as to when (based off of your average cycles) would be a Good time to start!

Cycle Chart

Image: www.conceiveeasy.com

There are 3 types of Tests you can use – “Midstream,” which is very Common at drugstores, “Cassettes,” which are also very Common, “Digitals,” and then lastly our Internet Cheapies, (also known as) “Test Strips,” which is what we are talking about today. They’re by far less expensive simply because you’re not paying for the fancy container they come in.

WIN FREE HPT'S & OPK'S BY "LIKING", AND FOLLOWING US ON Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!

Image: www.fertilityties.com Image: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Now with the most effective Test date being determined with your other secondary fertility signs – It’s also important to understand how to PREPARE for testing!

Unlike Pregnancy Tests that usually are taken with FMU (First Morning Urine) especially with possible Early Pregnancy – It is HIGHLY recommended to use Afternoon Urine when testing with a OPK, usually between the hours of 2-8pm and at the SAME TIME EVERYDAY! Why you ask? Because the LH (Luteinizing Hormone) in FMU usually isn’t metabolized enough, and can therefore give you a False Negative! (Which of course if you’re actively Trying To Get Pregnant you definitely don’t want that) essentially it can cause you to possibly miss your Surge. (When dipping your Test Strip there is a black line that says, “Max Line,” it’s always best not to dip your Test past that line to avoid over-saturation of the Test)

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Image: www.naturalfertilityshop.com

So what is a LH Surge? Well, LH tends to flow through our bodies at all times. Just a few days prior to Ovulation the LH Hormone starts to increase to a higher concentration (thus as we call the “Surge”) and that higher concentration of LH can then be measured by a OPK.

Typically speaking there are different brands of OPK’s that can detect different levels of the Hormone so to speak. A normal, healthy female would probably opt to use a OPK that detected 30-40 mI/U only because we have the Hormone constantly running through our system and would not want to yield a False Positive result using a lower sensitivity test. (In some cases though, you may need a lower sensitivity Test just depending on what YOUR “normal” concentration is that’s running through your body during non-peak times) – We on average, typically have anywhere from 1-20 mI/U prior to our Surge. You can find Tests that are 10-25 mI/U, 30-40 mI/U (which is considered average) and then the lower sensitivity Tests that can run up to even a 100 mI/U! (Again, I highly recommend NOT purchasing those Tests simply because according to some Consumer Studies it’s usually next to impossible to have a LH Surge that High in concentration!) You’ll more than likely yield nothing but Negative Results.

Once you’ve established the best brand, day, and time to start taking your Tests – a Good question most have is, “How Do I Read Them?” Here’s a few illustrations that may help you learn how to interpret the results.

If you’re using Test Strips, you may see packaging very similar to this:

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Image: www.dhgate.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

This can be a bit confusing if you’re unfamiliar with how they work. This claims if there’s 2 Lines, it’s positive. Don’t be fooled though! Regardless of what kind of OPK’s you opt to use, essentially they all work the same way.

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Image: www.spermmeetseggplan.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

A TRUE Positive Result, (unlike a Pregnancy Test) is when the Test Line is EQUAL TO or DARKER THAN the Control Line.

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Image: www.ovulation-calculator.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Here’s another good illustration:

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Image: www.opktests.com

And here is one displaying ACTUAL OPK Results:

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Image: www.babyornot.co.uk Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Some also opt to use a Digital Ovulation Test, to confirm the Midstream Test or the Test Strips Positive looking Results!

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Image: www.amazon.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

You can’t go wrong with a digital. There’s absolutely no guessing involved although they are a bit more expensive. But if you happen to get a Blue Dye Test, you’ll understand WHY it may be a Good idea to FOLLOW up with a digital since they can be a bit harder to interpret. (You’ll have to check out my OPK reviews if you want some further insight with that subject).

Name Brand OPK’s that you can find in your local drugstore can be a bit costly. Some opt to use the Internet Cheapies known as “Test Strips” Because essentially you can buy a Big bundle of OPK’s and HPT’s for a small fraction of the price. If you like to Test frequently it can add up, and I’ve found over the years that it’s a much more cost-effective way to gain more insight into your Fertile Window each cycle.

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Image: www.fertilityties.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Which (I might add) you can’t beat FREE! You have a great chance of winning a bundle of OPK’s and HPT Strips (on me) simply by “Liking” our Facebook Page – (PeeOnAStickFreak) “Following” our Twitter (@PeeOnAStickFRK) and lastly our Instagram (PeeOnAStickFreak) – The more referrals you have, the greater your odds are! All you have to do is have your friends/family members comment on each account stating WHO refered them! SIMPLE! I will be picking winners randomly and the ultimate prize is the bundle along with a $25 Gift Certificate to a restaurant of your Choice! GOOD LUCK!

Getting back to business (Ha Ha) when taking your Test, you’ll want to make sure that your urine doesn’t sit out for any length of time, and you also hold the Dip stick in your (CONCENTRATED) urine for at least the specified amount of time on the instructions. Otherwise I highly recommend dipping it for a full 5-10 seconds! Only Because you want to avoid under-saturating your Test and yielding a lighter Test line, and in some cases a False Positive Result! (Check out my OPK Experiments, Videos, and of course my Informational Tidbits) to my conclusions with those results! Also, I highly recommend waiting the full 5-10 mins before interpreting the results. You’ve got to keep in mind that OPK’s work a bit differently than your average HPT.

(Something else I just wanted to add which I also mentioned in my video) is when you purchase a pack of Midstream Tests, Cassettes or even Test Strips – you have to judge each Test individually! The reason I’m saying this is because different Tests have different amounts of Dye in them. You may have taken a Test yesterday (that came in the same pack) that had a very Dark CONTROL Line, whereas today’s Test has a very Faint one. No worries! Your Test Line (if positive) will reflect how light or dark your CONTROL line is. So if the CONTROL line is very light, as long as your Test line matches that or is a bit Darker than it’s considered positive! Same thing if the line is lighter, that would be considered Negative!

So with that being said, (Yes I know it’s a ton of information to absorb if you’re not familiar with these things) after a few cycles, you’ll get more familiar with it the same as you would with all of your other secondary fertility signs!

For a more, in-depth demonstration I made this lovely video showing you just how simple this can be but most of all BENEFICIAL! When you yield your first true positive result, don’t forget to DTD! (Do The Deed) also known as Baby Dancing!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI65KgxtHCc&w=560&h=315]

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Cervical Mucus

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Image: www.searcpp.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 

The art of TTC (Trying to Conceive), TTA (Trying to Abstain) or even simply Trying To Track Your Cycle – (for other purposes) can be tricky, and have a lot to do with how you Chart your cycles each month. There is so much more to it nowadays than simply counting up 4 weeks from the first day of your Menstrual Period – (which is what I used to do before the Internet came out!) Ha Ha

Aside from The Charting Basics, one of the main things you’ll need to learn about is your CM (Cervical Mucus) and CP (Cervical Position). Whether you’re TTC or TTA from Pregnancy, you’ll need to know about this thing called Cervical Fluid! Much like CP, CM changes color, consistency, and texture throughout each part of our cycle. Those changes essentially can give us many clues and insight into where we are, and when we can expect our Fertile Window!

The first part of our cycle is known as, “The Follicular Phase,” which is the first day of our Menstrual Flo until Ovulation occurs. A Hormone called Estrogen is responsible for the things that change, and take place just up until that point. Estrogen more or less gears our bodies up in preparation for Conception. Your Cervical Fluid plays a very important role in achieving that! Here’s an illustration to depict the different stages your CM goes through, throughout this wonderful (or not so wonderful) thing we call a cycle!

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Image: www.babycenter.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 

As you can see, there are many different colors, consistencies, and textures. If you’re only tracking your Period, then you may miss out on a potential opportunity to successfully Conceive! (Same thing if you’re actively trying to PREVENT Pregnancy) fertile CM plays a huge role in that!

AFTER MENSTRUATION: Your CM may be a bit dry, or Scant. Immediately following, you may notice a slight moisture, but that in itself is considered to be infertile if there’s not a higher volume of it!

NEARING OVULATION: You may notice that you have a wet spot on your panties, wetter consistency, milky, clearer CM. Estrogen is responsible for making your Fluid thinner and more fertile.

TIME OF OVULATION: Cervical Fluid tends to be thinner, slippery, and can stretch 1-2 CM! It may also have the consistency of raw Egg whites! It can also be tinged with Pink or Blood. This would be considered your most highly fertile CM! Sperm can live up to 5 days in this type of Cervical Fluid. This type is very alkaline.

Post Ovulation: It can be a bit dry, if nothing at all. Sometimes your cervix may appear to be somewhat moisture BUT any Cervical Fluid once Ovulation has occurred should be considered Infertile.

WHEN EXPECTING MENSES: Your Cervical Fluid can go from dry/moist to a thicker, Creamier, Lotion-Like consistency that is extremely acidic unlike EWCM and will make it difficult for sperm to swim through.

POSSIBLE PREGNANCY: Your CM will generally get thicker, white, or even yellow. It gets extremely thick to form what is known as a Mucus plug.

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Photos: www.babycenter.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 
The absolute, most fertile CM prior to Ovulation is EWCM! You may notice this specifically the few days before, and/or the day of. You may also know it to appear Blood tinged, or brown. Mid-cycle spotting is not uncommon. If you’re not familiar with this, crack open an Egg and look at it, feel it, stretch it. Your own is very much like this!

Image: www.fertilityfriend.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Image: www.fertilityfriend.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 
You may not always produce this type of CM, so even if you only see Watery CM, take advantage of it! There are always ways to increase and improve your CM. (Another story for another day!) But in the meantime drink plenty of water, take Evening Primrose Oil from the start of Menses until Ovulation, Mucinex and/or Robitussin Guafenesin can help aide in that!

Post Ovulation, you may notice abrupt dryness and your cervix may exhibit slight moisture. That is very common, and if your charting you may see a Temperature rise to confirm it! Progesterone is responsible for the Luteal Phase, which is the day after Ovulation until we either Test positive with a HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) or the dreaded AF (Aunt Flo) rears her ugly head if you’re TTC (Trying To Conceive). As we approach the latter part of our cycle – our CM tends to get a bit thick, Creamy, and Lotion-Like which is very acidic and considered non-fertile. If our Menses is due within a couple days, you may notice another dry spell. (Again, very common!)

So whether you’re actively TTC or actively TTA – Cervical Mucus, Cervical Position and charting your BBT (Basal Body Temperature) can play a major role in your success!

If you’re trying to abstain from Pregnancy, you’ll want to avoid intercourse on the days you notice any type of fertile-quality CM!

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Cervical Position

Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 
One of the hardest things you may come across in this wonderful journey of yours is this thing called CP (Cervical Position), which goes hand-in-hand with CM (Cervical Mucus). These are both considered to be secondary fertility signs that can help you figure out where you are in your cycle! Your CP changes throughout each part of your cycle which can give clues about when you may be nearing Ovulation, Menstruation, or even possibly Pregnancy. It may take you a while to get to know your body, (and it’s lovely functions), but with that being said it’ll be well worth the time and effort once you start to gain a bit of insight.

A great time to start practicing your personal exams, is right after you’ve gotten out of the shower, or after you have thoroughly washed your hands with antibacterial soap to help avoid infections!

Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 
It’s very important to make sure you have clean hands before checking your CP or CM. Another tip is to keep your fingernails trimmed to avoid internal scratches. The cervix is the area on the top of your Vaginal canal, and in-between your uterus. You can start by sitting on the toilet or even squatting, while gently inserting two fingers and reaching until you can feel it. Depending on how High or Low your cervix is at that time determines whether it’s fertile or Infertile. It’s highly recommended to check your CP only once a day, (sitting the same way) due to its variations throughout the day. When dealing with CM though it’s recommended to check several times a day while only recording the most fertile Fluid!

 
DURING MENSTRUATION: Your cervix usually will be low, firm and slightly open to allow your Menses to flow. It would feel firm more like the tip of your nose.

NEARING OVULATION: Your cervix will be a little higher to reach, a bit softer, moist and slightly open in preparation for the sperm to swim through. You may start to notice your CM appears to be a bit more fertile at this time.

TIME OF OVULATION:  Your cervix should be at its highest since you’re at your peak fertility! You may not even be able to reach it, or you may just be able to touch it with the tips of your fingers. The cervix will be open with a good amount of fertile CM and feel very soft, more like your lips. The outer surface may also feel very wet or even slippery.

POST OVULATION:  Your cervix will generally go back to a low, firm and closed Position. It will feel firm again, like the tip of your nose with a dry sensation.

NEARING MENSTRUATION:  Your cervix will continue to feel firm like an unripe fruit perhaps with slight moisture. You may not observe much CM if any at all and it will protrude low.

POSSIBLE PREGNANCY:  Your cervix usually begins to move higher, with a soft, sponge-like feel to it that remains closed to protect the uterus. CM will then start to get thicker, creating what is known as a Mucus Plug. With that being said, the time varies from woman to woman as to when this all takes place. For some it can happen as soon as Conception occurs and for others it may be well into their first trimester.

 
Here is something I’ve put together from photos taken of a woman who was 25, had never given Birth, had a tilted uterus, and allowed this amazing website to document her CP and CM each day throughout her whole cycle! This may be helpful since most of us cannot see inside, we can only feel!

Photos: www.beautifulcervix.com Collage & Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Photos: www.beautifulcervix.com Collage & Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 
If you go through, you’ll see just how unique our CP really can be! Being a woman, and truly understanding our own anatomy can be quiet empowering.

Something else that sort of helped me further understand this magical, mystical thing we call a cervix – is knowing the best way to actually describe and further illustrate what we are technically “feeling” for?! The specialists who write these amazing articles pertaining to our fertility describe our cervix as being, “Low, Medium, or High,” when going through the different stages in our cycle. I of course, thought that meant my cervix was like a ball that literally lifted itself up, or buried itself down into my Vaginal canal! (Oh silly me) – It took me forever to fully understand what that meant. Take a look at this next illustration here:

Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 
As you can see while looking at everything from a frontal point of view, I found that the best way to describe the CP itself wasn’t so much “High,” or “Low,” – but really like, “Coming towards you,” or, “Moving away from you.” If that makes more sense? When you insert your fingers and can very easily reach your cervix, (like it’s coming towards you at a close proximity) – then that would be considered, “Low.” When it’s really hard to reach (like it’s going away from you) – and maybe not even within reach at all, that would be considered, “High.”

If you think about it, the cervix needs to be as far back from the opening of your Vaginal canal so that the sperm will have a shorter journey! Shorter swim means a higher chance for Conception which helps create the perfect (Fertile Window) of opportunity! Makes more sense now, huh? Here’s also another visual aide that can help:

Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

Image: www.wikihow.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 
So as you can see, you can only have highly fertile Cervical Fluid such as EWCM (Egg White Cervical Mucus) and get a high volume of it if you have a highly fertile cervix that’s open! That not only allows fertile quality CM to protrude the canal but it also acts as a passageway to keep the sperm nourished and alive until possible Conception can occur!

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Basal Body Thermometer

 

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Image: www.ivillage.com Graphics: Pee-On-A-Stick-Freak

 

There are so many benefits you can experience from charting your fertility! One of the main, key ingredients in order to gain insight into your most fertile window is the ability to track your daily BBT (Basal Body Temperature) throughout the duration of your cycle. Your BBT is your lowest body Temperature at rest, following a solid block of at least 3 hours of sleep or more.

Now, before you go reaching for a typical (Fever Thermometer) you may be surprised to know that fertility experts of the like have come up with this amazing invention known as a Basil Body Thermometer! That’s what you’ll typically want to use. It’s a special kind of Thermometer that is very inexpensive, you can find it at most drugstores and it measures at 1/100 of a degree. So for example, with a normal (Fever Thermometer) that only measures at 1/10 degree – your temp would read at 98.6° whereas a BBT will measure your temp detecting slight body fluctuations reading at 98.67°. It’s very ideal just for the fact that you may detect Ovulation with only a slight Temperature increase over the course of several cycles, which may give you better insight inside your future fertile window.

During your FP (Follicular Phase) Estrogen is responsible for lower BBT’s. Once Ovulation occurs, you’ll notice a rise in BBT’s due to Progesterone, which is a heat inducing Hormone responsible for gearing your body up for possible Conception. Many women commonly opt to use OPK’s (Ovulation Predictor Kits) to detect their LH Surge (Luteinizing Hormone) that’s highly concentrated just a day or two prior to Ovulation – but only a rise in temperatures for at least 3 days or more will confirm it!

It’s important when temping, to do so at the same time everyday and in the same manner. Some may opt to do it vaginal rather than orally. Whichever method you prefer consistency is key! Another important factor is making sure you get plenty of rest beforehand. Otherwise you may start to notice erratic temperatures on your chart that can make it difficult when trying to interpret it. It’s not uncommon though to occasionally experience a slightly higher or lower temp when charting. The most important thing is maintaining a pattern with several temps throughout each part of your cycle so you can know when to accurately pinpoint Ovulation, as well as knowing when to expect a reliable result on a HPT (Home Pregnancy Test). If you’re charting for other reasons, pinpointing Ovulation will also aid in knowing when to expect your next Period.

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Why I Began Charting (Again) After So Many Years!

 

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Being a workaholic is great, except for when you find yourself working extremely long hours with very opinionated people, and having 2 toddlers and a hungry husband on top of that! Specifically a night where you guessed it – AF (Aunt Flo) a.k.a (my Period) showed her ugly face. As if I wasn’t stressed enough! I am a graphics designer, and a videographer “trying” to finish up a project, as if I didn’t feel enough stress already. We ordered pizza that night, my mother, my kids and my wonderful DH (Darling Husband), pretty much devoured the whole thing. I finally called it a night around midnight or so, when I felt my brain could no longer function.

The following day, I usually start flowing pretty heavily. That’s pretty normal for me, and as the day progressed I also (of course) started cramping too. Throughout the remainder of the day the cramping continued getting worse. (At which point I tend to grab the good ol’ Midol!) Normally 2 of those will give me some kind of relief. Nope, not even a little that day. I found myself taking 2 more a few hours later, and then 2 more a few hours after that! Like, are you kidding me?! Nope, the cramping (I kid you not) felt just like early labor pains! 

Later that evening, we fed the kids and gave them a bath, then put them to bed. It was around 8pm, and my wonderful DH went out back to grill some pork chops. (One of my favorites I might add!) We usually have a couple cocktails to go with it, and just enlighten each other with some much-needed (adult) conversation. When you’re around 2 toddlers all day long, it’s very helpful Lol. But the thing was, I started to feel nauseous before I even ate, and dizzy to a large degree. I tried to eat dinner, but basically had to make myself. I found myself picking at my food sadly, which is really unusual since that’s the main meal I eat everyday if nothing else. We were also trying to watch some shows we had DVR’d (which at that point I couldn’t stand to watch or hear the TV), as apparently I was also very sensitive to both light and sound. (Strange) I couldn’t even get through one of my cocktails (which I usually enjoy) and found myself just wanting to go upstairs and go to bed. Nope, that didn’t help either. Laying down made me feel even more nauseous! Around midnight, I started vomiting profusely. I thought normally you expelled something and then felt better right? Nope, wrong again! The feeling just kept getting worse and worse, hour after hour. I honestly thought I was going to have to go to the hospital! It didn’t subside until about 7:30am that following morning. Luckily my husband called in sick so I could finally get some much-needed rest. I have absolutely no clue what on earth made me that sick and I knew it wasn’t food poisoning due to the fact that everyone had eaten the same things I had that week and even that night, yet they were all fine. 

So now we come to Part 2 of the story. (Drum roll please)….. My usual AF (Period) lasts typically about 5-8 days, on a 28-30 day cycle. (Let me add that I’m not charting, no longer felt the need to once my DD (Darling Daughter) was born) so I kept track of my cycles simply by using the Calender on my phone. I would start a new cycle, then just count about 28 days into the future and put a reminder in there for a, “Possible Period Start Date.” Usually, it was pretty on target, give or take a day or 2. Not that I recommend tracking your cycle that way, especially if you’re TTC (Trying To Conceive). Anyways, after the typical week of Flo had passed, something really bizarre happened – I kept bleeding! Yes, you read that right. I did my usual end-of-cycle spotting, then proceeded to have more heavy Flo. At First I used regular absorbency tampons, which then shortly thereafter led to the super absorbancy, which left me in total shock. If anything, my Flo normally gets a lot lighter towards the end – definitely not heavier! Needless to say the horribly bad cramps resurfaced and I actually had to take more Midol. Never in my life had I ever had a mense like this or one that ever lasted this long; a whopping 14 days! Everything I had previously Googled indicated that this was not normal. 

Part 3 of the (not so fun stuff *sigh*). Everyday for the next few days once it finally ended, I was practically glued to my phone, tablet or computer doing research. I came across some articles where I read that a 2 week AF could be a number of things from the start of early menopause, (which I thought would be unlikely since I was only 32) to PCOS or even an Ovarian Cyst. But one thing that sort of stuck out in all that jumbled information we love to find on our beloved Dr. Internet, was a miscarriage even possible?!

(Let’s rewind back to the year 2011 when I discovered I was PG with my now 3-year-old DD) I knew I was going to have to have a scheduled c-section with her, since I had unfortunately had to have one with my DS (Darling Son) a year earlier. So, when I found out I could get my tubes tied (Tubal Ligation) during that procedure I hopped on that freight train with a quickness! (No jokes) although I now deeply regret making that decision. I would at some point, possibly like to plan on having another baby sometime in the future! (Moral of the story: think long and hard before having such a permanent procedure done on what may ONLY be considered in hindsight temporary circumstances). I never dreamed 3 years ago we would be in a bigger home, in a wonderful neighborhood with beyond amazing amenities, surrounded with great neighbors and that my children would be going to some of the highest exemplary schools within one of the top districts in our city! I felt at the time I had made a responsible decision, but I now know I could have achieved the same results with a different type of non-permanent birth control. I will more than likely (sometime down the line) opt to get what is known as a Tubal Reversal. Unfortunately though the success rate for conception being in my 30’s once that procedure has been done, (possibly even late 30’s at that point) are very low. Not that it’s impossible, BUT even a normal, “healthy” couple in their early 20’s only have about a 25% chance each month. The numbers start to rapidly decline once you hit the age of 35. So with that being said, to me it had made sense that there could always be that possibility of Miscarriage or better yet an Ectopic Pregnancy with my tubes still being tied. (An Ectopic Pregnancy is where the sperm fertilizes the egg but instead of the egg implanting into your uterus where it’s supposed to, the egg implants itself into an abnormal place such as your Fallopian tube for example). If that should ever occur, you would normally need to seek immediate medical attention as the fetus could cause the Fallopian tube to burst! It’s unlikely conception will occur, (but again) not impossible. After 1 year research indicates that 1 out of every 1000 will conceive. After 5 years the odds are a little higher with it being 13 out of 1000. Some will be a healthy, full-term Pregnancy but it’s more likely to result in an Ectopic Pregnancy or Miscarriage unless and/or if the procedure somehow failed or possibly the Tubes have naturally grown back together. (Again, another story for another day)!

So with that being said, I called my DH as he was on his way home from work to ask him if he could stop and pick me up an inexpensive HPT just so I could rule that possibility out if nothing else. Although at the time, I was secretly hoping that it would yield a positive result by detecting traces of leftover HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin – the hormone secreted once implantation occurs and what HPT’s use to determine whether or not you are indeed pregnant). I know it sounds bad, but if that was the reason behind my sudden, severe sickness that had occurred and my extremely long, painful mense, of course it would make sense and plus it wouldn’t be as bad as some of the other possible scenarios. When he got home he introduced me to the really affordable Wal-Mart Brand, (First Signal) Pregnancy Test. It’s only $0.88, you really can’t beat that! That’s even cheaper than the Dollar Store Brand starting around $1.19 – Two of those being (U Check HPT) and (New Choice HPT). So I figured, why not? Couldn’t hurt. So I went upstairs and peed in a cup, took the dropper and carefully put the 4 drops of my urine into the specified area. I then waited patiently for the 10 min timeframe printed on the instructions to expire. At First glance, it looked like a BFN (Big Fat Negative). But of course as I continue staring at it, there looked to be the faintest of faintest lines ever known to man. So, I wasn’t sure. The only way to know definitively if that was an eye squinting really faint positive or my imagination, was to Retest. Of course though DH only brought home one Test. Yippie, that meant I had to go back out at 1am and get a few more. I decided at that time to get another Wal-Mart Cheapie as well as a name Brand. So, I also bought (Clearblue Easy). Only at the time I had forgotten how notoriously bad Blue Dye Tests were known for resulting in either false positives (as Blue Dye could essentially bleed into the Test line even if no HCG was detected resulting in that or a Blue Evaporation line). But needless to say, I had decided to make a fun video experiment to see if both brands would yield the same results! (Hence how the pee-on-a-stick experiments were born!) and from what I could see despite one being Blue Dye, they both were BFN’s. So, I discarded those 3 Tests and continued doing more research on the subject at hand. 

I’m sure you’re probably wondering why I hadn’t made an appointment yet to go see my OB (Gynecologist)? As far as I knew, (as devastating as it would be to possibly have ovarian cysts or PCOS for example) as far as I was concerned it didn’t actually require medical attention. I wasn’t TTC anymore, and it was possible that maybe just maybe this could have been as simple as a random Irregular cycle and nothing was wrong?! (Although I’m certainly not suggesting or encouraging anyone who should also happen to be experiencing a similar situation at this time to NOT seek medical attention based solely off of my assumptions. You should always trust the advice of your physician first off and especially foremost). I just do not like to make any appointments with my OB unless I absolutely feel it’s necessary. 

With that being said that brings me to Part 4 of this super long story of mine! About 2 days later I started noticing pink on my toilet paper after I would wipe, and the following day I literally had brown CM. It sort of had the consistency of EWCM (Egg White Cervical Mucus) which I was accustomed to except for the fact that my EWCM normally was streaked with a tad bit of blood or Pink, (not so much solid brown). I jumped up and took another Test. It seemed so strange because I had never experienced any kind of mid-cycle spotting before. I then decided to make another video to document this experience and (again) it appeared to be yet another BFN. Still just as confused as ever I discarded that Test as well except this time I had accidentally left the Test sitting on the bathroom counter. About 45 mins later I went in there to use the restroom, low and behold I saw 2 Pink Lines! It felt like a ton of bricks had fallen on top of my head. I of course then proceeded to do even more research and literally as I was doing that I watched the Test line start morphing into the Control line. (The Test line started curving and it looked like a capital “D” if you can picture that). So Yes, I discarded that Test too as I was a bit stumped at what had just happened. I of all people am very familiar with Evaporation Lines, but one that is Pink?? Strange. As far as I knew, they were essentially colorless and only appeared where say an actual positive would have appeared if HCG had been detected. (I made a video about that as well) Lol 

So that my friends, is when I decided I needed to start charting again! And, how I then really regretted ever stopping. (In 2004 when I began my TTC journey – I found this amazing FREE charting website, where you could record BBT, CM, CP, and OPK’s. You can find MY CHARTING HOMEPAGE here!) Although there are a multitude of different reasons as to WHY charting is so beyond beneficial regardless of where you may happen to be in your life, most of us do not feel it’s necessary outside of actively TTC. But you see I just recently realized that had I not stopped, I would have a better understanding of where I was in my current cycle and more insight as to what could be going on. I was more than halfway through it when I began temping my BBT (Basal Body Temperature), CM (Cervical Mucus), and CP (Cervical Position) again. After a few days it was hard to say as to whether or not Ovulation had in fact occurred, so I decided at that point to start using OPK’s. I really wanted to pinpoint my Ovulation so that I would know EXACTLY when to expect my next Period. If only it were that simple! 

That now brings me to my next dilemma, using the OPK’s. I bought a package of 7 (First Response Ovulation Tests) that also included a Pregnancy Test. I tested around 8pm that same night once my DH got home. I didn’t hold my pee for the recommended 2-4 hour Period, nor did I sustain from drinking soda. (I honestly had no idea at the time that you weren’t supposed to) and lo and behold it was positive! I thought I was so lucky to have actually nailed it on the First try. (Although there are mostly always 2 Lines that will appear on any given Ovulation Test, it is only considered positive if the Test line is equal to or darker than the Control line), which it was. Little did I know that every single Test thereafter would come out positive as well! My CM seemed to always be watery more so than sticky, my temps were in the 97.7-9°F range (which was considered low for me on previous cycles) and I didn’t have temps for the first half of my cycle to either confirm or deny that Ovulation had in fact occurred! I was stumped, and still honestly am at this point. I decided to use a different Brand just to see if I would yield a different result and the answer to that was no. Although there are so many varying factors that could have possibly influenced the outcome of those Tests, it would still be nice to know WHY (at this point), I am still on CD30 and have yielded ONLY positive OPK results for 9 days straight in a row now. The questions that have been constantly running through my mind recently have been in relation to, “Am I possibly going through early menopause?, PCOS?, Ovarian Cysts?, Hyper Thyroidism?, Unexplained Elevated Levels of LH that may be constantly running through my system?, right on down to Pregnancy. I’m doing the best I can not to jump to those conclusions until I feel no other choice BUT to go see an OB. I may also pee-on-a-stick while making that appointment! So, I will have to keep you all updated on my situation as I continue building this lovely website in the meantime. Just remember, charting is beneficial for so many reasons (other than) just simply TTC a baby! You may also be trying to Abstain from Pregnancy or you may even just want to keep yourself aware of what’s going on with your cycle, (especially if you’ve ever experienced a cycle similar to this)! I wish I would have never stopped. If I had continued charting, I may have had some kind of insight. If nothing else, it can indicate if you should possibly go seek medical attention. (Take it from me). Thanks for reading this! And once this site is complete, I hope you find it beneficial and informative! 

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